Month: September 2010

As non-partisan as I can muster, here’s my top 10 favourite things about the 2010 NB election:

10.New voices – With new and sometimes very different ideas, the 2010 NB Election welcomed @GreenPartyNB and @PANBParty to the fray. Time will tell if they will last post-election, but both parties added valuable contributions to the election discourse.

8.Non-stop election reporting from a host of newspaper reporters was freely available most notably through the BrunswickNews’ CanadaEast web site. Notable print journalists from the election included Brett Bundale (@BrettBundale), Nick Moore (@nicky_moore), Adam Bowie (@AdamJBowie), and Greg Weston. Also notable was Canadian Press’ Kevin Bissett (@KevinBissett).

7.@AndreTheriault‘s #nbvotes games – The #nbvotes game of the day on Twitter provided a lighthearted and satirical view on the election news of the day. Some of the best were #failedelectionslogans, celebrity doppelgangers, Abba songs and lines that apply to #nbvotes, which policies will be confused as coming from another party, what will Volpe’s unknown source release next, what private personal information will be leaked next, and obvious endorsements. Honorable mention goes to Kelly Lamrock’s (@klamrock) #badcampaignsongs.

6.The NDP comeback – Coming back from relative obscurity after losing half of their meager support in the 2006 election, the NDP reemerged to become a potent force during the 2010 NB Election. With a full slate of candidates and a credible platform, NDP’s contribution to the debate was both refreshing and meaningful. We saw great engagement on Twitter from folks like @DWCardy, @mattdoherty4mla and @Jason__P.

1.Twitter! Twitter made a huge difference during this election both on my own personal level of engagement, but also my exposure to differing points of view and a wealth of information. The maturity and penetration of the social networks collided beautifully with the election, leading all parties and voters to flock to Twitter (also Facebook and YouTube) to exchange views and ideas. Twitter’s #nbvotes hashtag served as a vibrant non-stop “town hall” for partisans, parties, and everyday citizens alike. Voters were often able to engage the media and parties directly on issues (and non-issues) of the day. I can’t imagine ever going back.